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Need advise asap. My elderly mother has sold the family home from under our feet. Myself my daughter & my elderly mother live in the home she has sold & signed of & cooling period is over I hv only just been told this as my mother is crying& was at no sound mind for any business taking advantage of the situation & proceeded in purchasing a house which should of never happened. Cooling period is over on the property also. Wot can I do to stop this happening please help

Contact a lawyer and see what he says.
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Reply to JustAnon
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Unless a medical document has been signed by a doctor stating your mother is incompetent, she's perfectly able to sell her own home and buy another. Which includes disallowing you and your daughter to live in it. All "elderly" people are not "incompetent". Few are, actually.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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So your from Australia, good thing Margaret is from there too. Our forum is mostly made up by US citizens with some Canadians and people from the UK and other countries. Since our laws may differ, you really need a lawyer involved.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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Jane, I don’t believe you. The cooling off period in Adelaide SA is 2 days, and it gives the BUYER the right to back out, not the vendor. This is rubbish. You can get legal advice from the Legal Services Commission - I used to be on its Board.
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Reply to MargaretMcKen
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Okay, please slow down and try to calm down.

Is your mother the sole owner of the house? If so, she is generally allowed to sell it.

Unless, your mother had a diagnosis of dementia, and a doctor can state that she is not competent to make major decisions. Does she have such a diagnosis? Do you have something in writing? Has she given your or anyone else her Power of Attorney?

Did your mother go to a closing at a title office or attorney's office? Or did she just sign a contract? If she has only signed the contract, but not done the closing documents to actually turn the house over, with the deed registered at the courthouse or city/county office, then she can still cancel.

How much did she sell the house for? Even if she did sell the house, you won't be out on the streets, because you'll have the money from the sale. Is the sale price the market value? (You can check the value at zillow.com, it's usually pretty accurate.)
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Reply to MG8522
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MargaretMcKen Jan 19, 2026
It is extremely unlikely that M could prepare and execute a valid sale of land in SA without assistance from a lawyer or registered land agent. The legal requirements are quite complex, there would have to be discussions about vacant possession, and multiple occupancy would be obvious. This post is unlikely to be valid.
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Not necessarily. Is your mother diagnosed with dementia?
Being elderly does not mean that even if you think she is not of sound mind.
If she sold it she was the rightful owner? Did she sell it at FMV?
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Reply to Evamar
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Cooling off period is I think anything from 2weeks to 4weeks where you can pull out of buying a house etc or if you are unable to get finance to buy the property. So in other words you can pull out of the deal after signing paperwork for the property.
That's wot I need answers to ,coz the house I live in has been sold by my mother whom is at no fit state of mind to be doing this. We will be living on the streets. Surely the business man whom brought the property could see my elderly mother was at no sound mind to be dealing with or didn't he care he just took advantage of my mother & threw whole situation
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Reply to Jane130368
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Real estate atty first thing tomorrow morning.
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Reply to southernwave
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Jane130368 Jan 18, 2026
Thankyou so much
Can u advise me on a Pacific atty
I'm in Adelaide
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What is a "cooling period"???

See a real estate attorney for advice. Good luck.
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Reply to lealonnie1
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